


Boulevard of Fallen Stars

by RedRavens



Series: Mass Effect Prompts [2]
Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-16
Updated: 2017-01-05
Packaged: 2018-06-08 18:56:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 15
Words: 12,736
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6869335
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedRavens/pseuds/RedRavens
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"If I could count all the ways in which I love you, I'd be out of stars."</p><p>A collections of one-shots from the Mass Effect universe, Shepard/Garrus centric.</p><p>Some of it will follow my Canon Shepard - Colonist, ruthless, renegon. Some of it won't, some will be ideas which I won't take any further than what is already posted. Some of it you'll see it again in another work.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. All the ways I love you

**Author's Note:**

> Stand alone one-shot

He doesn't voice it, not often, not out loud, and mostly in jest while they’re going on about their day. He’s not shy about his feelings yet he’s oddly relieved Shepard can’t hear, can’t understand his subvocals.  
  
He has no idea when ‘blowing off steam’ turned into 'one-woman kind of Turian’ and he doesn't really care. They are what they are, they've been together for over three years in one way or another, be it as friends of as lovers.  
  
He hates putting extra pressure on them, on her mostly, and the middle of the Reaper Slaughter is the last place to confess how much he adores her without Changing them, or maybe he's just comfortable with where they stand. So instead of 'I love you,’ she gets 'I’m on it, Shepard!’ while on Menae, she gets 'I’m still here if you want to continue what we had’ on the Normandy - that’s the condensed version of course - and his heart thunders in his chest and his stomach does somersaults when she kisses him instead of answering.  
  
He doesn’t mention how every other Turian looks at him in shock when they pass by, he doesn’t comment on Corinthius’ disbelieving expression when they had met. He’s also not surprised that Victus holds his tongue while meeting her the first time, nor the second, nor the fiftieth time they talk, though he’s somewhat contrite to be on the receiving end of the Primarch’s eye roll.  
  
He’s so very very glad neither Wrex nor the Dalatrass can understand Turian subvocals, because the Krogan would most definitely out him at an inopportune time, and he wouldn’t put it pass a scorned Dalatrass to show her disgust with a Human-Turian pair.  
  
He can’t say it at the top of the Presidium, even when she takes matters in her own hands and Changes Them irredeemably, she’s the one to say it first and he can do nothing but love her that much more, to the point she probably hears his humming and thrilling and whatever else her human ears could pick up.  
  
He tries to say it while at the Party on Shepard’s new flat, and feels like hiding afterwards when he stammers 'I love… your hair. And I’m pretty damn partial to the rest of you too.’ her eyes light up for a moment though and that’s all that he needs to maybe try again while half-drunk and weaponising her flat. 'Shepard, sweety, love of my life indulge your crazy boyfriend.’ It’s somewhat in jest again, but she gets it.  
  
Zaeed does too if his 'just let me get out of her guddam’ room before you drag her up here!’ is any indication.  
  
His subvocals are all over the place in her presence, it’s a constant, subconscious, stream of 'i love you’ that, had it been with anyone else, he would be ashamed of. But it is her and shame is the last thing in his mind when it came to them. Sure he could stop it, but why would he? He wasn’t joking when he called her the love of his life, when he caller her his, and he intends to be with her until either of them dies, or she grows tired of him, whichever came first.  
  
He’s realistic, or tries to be, the former is way more likely than the later and that’s brought upon in striking clearance when they’re running to the beam, and he’s suddenly out of time.  
  
She’s leaving him and he feels himself wither at all the things he could have said but didn’t, at all the times he could have said he loved her, he adored her, she was the only thing keeping him together and that he made her his fixed point to come back to.  
  
“I love you too,” is all he can muster, his legs barely holding him as he’s dragged away.  
  
Still his subvocals hum for her, thrill in love and pain as she turns her back. It doesn’t stop there, it doesn’t stop as they lift off Earth to try and scape the wave of destruction, the sound - his own sound for Shepard - is the only thing keeping him together as he refuses to put her name on the Wall. It’s the only thing that keeps him whole as he finds her later in the hospital, it’s the only thing he can hear in the silence while she recovers.  
  
Later, much, much later, after physical therapy and medals and pointless speeches to pointless politicians, it’s the only thing she can hear while they sit together, she’s between his legs and they’re on the ground, both in dress blues after yet another speech. She’s proud of her Turian for leading them away from the crowd that held her as The Crowd Jewel of the Galaxy - a prize to see, not heed nor listen to.  
  
“I love you too,” she whispers to him, leaning against his chest - crest really - and entwining their fingers.  
  
“What?” It’s his eloquent answer as he stares at her.  
  
“You say it all the time,” she shrugs with a smile, a little up and down of her shoulders that Garrus had learnt long ago meant 'it’s obvious’ or her more eloquently put 'well, duh!’  
  
“Victus told me before he left the Normandy, I always hear you humming and thrilling, so I asked him when I got curious.” She explains with a smile, turning her head back to him in a way he can’t help but think hurts her in some way, even though she has assured him multiple times it doesn’t. “You never said anything, so I asked my next source of Turian info what it meant.”  
  
“Did he tell you, then?” He asks quietly, honestly he’s not surprised that Victus told her, not really, not with the Epic Eyeroll he got every time they crossed paths. “Did he tell you it means that I adore you? That you’re my most treasured gem in the universe, the love of my life and the woman I would frankly wait forever for? Did he tell you it means I promised to stand by your side as long as you’ll have me? Or that I handed my heart to you on a plate to do as you wish with it? That I hold you above all others and I would follow you to the end of the universe?” He asks, holding her tighter. The words are like a dam, he can’t stop them even if he wished to - which he doesn’t.  
  
“He just told me you’re calling for me, and saying you love me.”  
  
“Then he hasn’t told you even half of it, honey,” he smiles at her, he honestly can’t help it, “and maybe I’ll spend the rest of our days telling you exactly what it means, what do you say?”


	2. How Carol Shepard Actually Proposed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stand alone little snippet of conversation.

Garrus sighed, turning as the door to the battery opened, “you don’t have to come and check up on me, I’m fine!”

“I know, but I want to.” The commander shrugged easily, sitting by the weapon’s bench.

“Honestly Shepard, you’ve already diverted your attention to fix my screw up, you’ve done more than enough.” He shook his head, refusing to look at her. After everything, after Sidonis? He couldn’t look at her.

“Garrus, I’m here because I want to, if it’s not your mess, it’s mine, and to be frank I’d prefer to enter those fubar situations together, if it’s all the same to you.”

“Don’t wanna clean up my shit?” He snorted, a self depreciating sound that was anything but mirthful, “I get it.”

“I rather keep you out of it altogether, or if you have to get into one, I’d rather be there right beside you.” She sighed, leaning her head back until it hit the metal walls, Garrus was one of her best friends, if he wanted to take things further, she was definitely game. No, not game, she definitely wanted it.

“Never knew you had a romantic side, Shepard, unless I’m misreading everything that sounds like an invitation.” He was cautious when he glanced at her, unsure if her proposal has actually been a proposal.

“It is if you want it to be.” She glanced at him, smiling, she would let him lead this dance.


	3. Birthdays

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And you finally get to meet Sophia Vakarian! My main Shepard, who got married somewhere around ME2.
> 
> Mind you all the stories with her you'll probably see again when I post her own fic. Or not, depends on how the story flows :)

Sophia doesn’t really care about her birthday, it was a meaningless date, the day she was born, unremarkable. She’s often reminded of the days that left their mark on her, of her decisions.

February 14th, 2170 - The raid on Mindoir by Batarian slavers, she had been 16 at the time, she remembers the Batarians collaring her parents and her brother, only for him to be shot down later.

July 1st, 2172 - Enlisting in the Aliance after being left in an Orphanage for 2 years. Hearing the boys laugh at her, saying she’d be better off as a stripper, better off sucking cock. Punching one of them and breaking his jaw, the sergeant in charge saying she’s got Biotic tendencies.

September 5th, 2174 - Being asked into the N7 program.

April 19th, 2178 - The retaliation on Batarian Space. She had been 24, and she considered the Siege her own personal revenge. She didn’t regret sacrificing so many soldiers, she didn’t regret killing so many Batarian. She looked through the slavers, hoping to see a familiar face, someone that recognised her, someone she would hopefully recognise even though they were both probably dead.

July 4th, 2178 - Completing the N7 program and after receiving her number [ #5923-AC-2826 she remember that by heart] collapsing in a cheap hotel in utter exhaustion and sleeping for 3 days.

July 4th, 2179 - The Human-Turian Blackops cooperation, meeting the Turian firecracker with the blue marks. “Vakarian” the woman says, “it’s a pretty common name in Cipritine,” Sophia has no proof it isn’t, but she keeps the woman’s contacts just in case.

June 21st, 2182 - Being asked by Anderson to be his XO on his new ship, accepting the offer with a stoic face even though she wants to shout in happiness.

January 30th, 2183 - Stupid fucking Alenko and the fucking Beacon! [Yes she does love him to bits, but he can be so goddamned stupid sometimes it’s not even funny!]

February 15h, 2183 - Being made into a Spectre. The First Human Spectre. It’s a honour, and she’ll defend her right to the title with fangs and claws. The Vakarian detective looking at her as if she’s from another planet - which she is! She forgets to ask him about the Blackops firecracker.

September 30th, 2183 - Kissing Garrus for the first time. Neither of them knew it then, but it had painted an ‘off-limits: Property of Mr(s) Vakarian’ sign on their respective foreheads.

October 5th, 2183 - Putting a fucking bullet through Saren’s brain, and then repeating the experience all over again and again and again. She swears she let Garrus take the kill-shot #4, no matter what he says.

November 15th, 2183 - Being spaced.

August 21st, 2185 - Waking up in a fucking Cerberus base and restraining herself against executing the bitch and the drop out.

September 4th, 2185 - Meeting Garrus again, being terrified of losing him due to Omega, executing the fucking Batarian Blue suns leader with extreme prejudice, scaring both Cerberus operatives while doing so. The only good things to come out of that day.

September 5th—

“Sophia?” Garrus called, she was embarrassed to note it probably wasn’t the first time he tried to get her attention. She blushed under his scrutiny, earning herself an amused smile. “Do you remember the date?” He asked, they were both sitting in the mess, in front of each other with their respective MRE’s, in lieu of Gardner’s cooking.

“I was thinking of those, which one you had in mind?” She couldn’t help but smile at him, elbows on the table, face in her hands. She still had trouble believing he was hers, and, according to him, it was mutual. Solana had said they were in the ‘love, fuck and pyjak eyes’ phase of their relationship, she didn’t want that to change.

“First date actually.” He smirked at her, settling back on his chair and crossing his arms, damn it she wanted to jump him already, regardless of who was watching.

“If you’re counting the Armax Arena deal-” she started, smiling at him, Jack scoffing in the background as she passed them by.

“I’m not, I’m talking about the time after you tested each one of us in combat back in the SR1, and then insisted on taking us on a drill up on Binthu. First time I snipped Wrex in the head with a paint pellet.” His smirk turned into a full smile as they remembered.

“God I had never seen a Krogan so **angry**  before! Not even on Virmire, where he had reason to be angry!” She giggled, briefly hiding her face in her hands before throwing her head back and laughing, “he decimated everyone else and we took turns firing at his shields, until I Threw him away and you snippet him again for good measure. They all sulked back to the Normandy.”

“First date,” he repeated, pointing at her.

“When was it again?” She asked, still laughing.

“April 11th, 2183.”

“Really? Are you sure?”

“Yeah, Ash was complaining about not celebrating your birthday, and Kaidan said you usually celebrated by shooting something, so it might as well be us.”

“He said that? God he’s an absolute shit, I love him but he’s a little shit. I’ll have to get back at him, somehow.”

“Hey now! Husband here! Should I be jealous?” He teased, reaching for her hand.

“Of Kaidan? Not at all, he’s a friend, you’ve got double dutty, mister! Best friend and husband!” She smirked at him, reaching for hand as well, what was left of the MRE almost forgotten.

“However will I cope?” He sighed in mock complaint.

“Get a room you two!” Jack snapped at them, glaring at Sophia, and as the three of them started to needle and probe each other, she wondered if she couldn’t add April 11th to her memories as well.


	4. Twilight Hours

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again with Sophia, this happened just after the whole clone deal.

They were both laying down on their bed, Garrus on his side, running gentle talons along Sophia’s skin, while the woman was staring at the skylight above her bed.

She had a feeling The Illusive Man wanted her to have nightmares of being spaced because of the hatch, but she had always loved the stars, even after being spaced. They had given her everything she had, everything she was.

She shivered as Garrus pressed against a particularly sensitive spot on her side, turning from the view above, to the view right beside her. “Hey.” Someone else the Stars had given her.

“Hey beautiful,” he murmured in the early hours of the Normandy’s day cycle, an arm working itself under her and drawing her near him. Sophia smiled, content, before turning on her side away from him, letting him be the big spoon.

Garrus had adapted quickly to sleeping with her, in more ways than one. Sophia liked to cuddle, liked to be held after sex, liked to be held even if there wasn’t sex, liked to touch her bed partners, comparing hands, trailing fingertips over exposed skin, wiggling her toes against theirs. Garrus had laughed at first, but had been surprisingly accommodating to her habits, letting his uncovered hand be explored to her heart’s content.

She held his hand now, looking at the sharp, if blunted, talons, running fingertips over his leathery, warm skin, counting the ridges on his fingers, counting the scars and the callouses. She knew them by heart by now, knew his body by touch and feel alone, recognised his heat, his smell, their smell.

She also recognised when he was far away, his other hand flexing on her stomach.

By all accounts she should be terrified of him, she remembered Saren clearly, remembered how his talons curved, sharp and deadly, she remembered how they could tear skin easily and she had even carried the scars on her neck where he had almost prematurely ended her Spectre career. That was a scar Sophia hadn’t minded Cerberus erasing.

With Garrus though, the hand in her stomach, caressing her naked flesh, was a cause for a different sort of shiver. She knew how powerful his hands were, the muscles he had in his entire form. She knew how those hands felt caressing her, bringing her to the peak of ecstasy, or just parting and petting her hair in an attempt to ‘help.’ She knew full well that if her strength failed her, those hands were there to catch her, as they had done so before.

“Something on your mind, G?” She asked, keeping her voice just above a murmur, turning to face him.

“You’re gonna think I’m being stupid,” he snorted, derisive, rude, self-inflicted stupidity, she was sure.

“Depends, the only way you can make me think that, is if you want to watch the sing-along version of Fleet and Flotilla again.” Her fingers explored the plates of his nose, his brow. They were an odd couple, and she wouldn’t have it any other way.

“Please,” he snorted, nuzzling her hand, “that version is all sorts of horrible-”

“On that we can agree!”

“-the main actress barely knows how to hold a tune, and Bellicus’ armour is the wrong colour. No self-respecting Turian would be caught dead matching Taetrus colours, not these days.” He continued as if she hadn’t interrupted.

She just smiled at him, tracing his colony marks with a finger. Her stomach still fluttered in excitement at the thought of him, at the feel of him in her arms, exactly where he belonged.

Garrus cupped the hand tracing his scarred mandible, gently nipping at her wrist, then soothing it with a swipe of his tongue.

“Entertainment aside… I’m not used to feeling helpless, light of my life, yesterday was…” He trailed off, bringing her even closer, rubbing his forehead against hers. He needed to feel her near, needed to know she was there, with him, where he could keep her save.

“Yeah, I never though I’d be meeting my own damned clone, that was something else.” She agreed, holding on to him.

The difference between a good sniper and a deadly one was patience. Garrus was as deadly as they came, and her husband never said anything, never took action before he was damned ready, never said anything unless he was absolutely certain of it. She could wait.

He repositioned them, so he could easily scent her neck, breathe her in. “It’s not the clone,” he murmured against her, hugging her tighter. “That, that **thing** ,” he sneered, “could never compare to you, it was just another enemy in my scope. From the moment we entered that gun-fight I knew we would be getting out and it wasn’t.”

“Then what?” She asked, running fingertips along his fringe.

“Brooks, or whatever her name was, when she came on the comms and told me I was putting you in danger…” He trailed off again, squeezing her against his chest. He had felt the blood freeze in his veins, had felt the vertigo of fear, of helplessness, and he didn’t deal well with that. “I don’t think I’ve ever felt so much fear in my life,” he laughed, self depreciating again.

She frowned, letting herself be held by her clearly distressed mate, she remembered outright laughing when the girl had said that ‘you’re putting Commander Shepard in danger!’ that tone of voice, calling her 'Shepard’ again, and inferring that Garrus was in any way putting her in danger had been enough to haul the girl out of the field and interrogate her.

Turns out it had been the right call, even if it did cost them the front door of their apartment.

She stopped all the platitudes before they left her lips, Garrus hated platitudes. They both did. She continued with the caress, her fingernails dragging through his fringe. She couldn’t imagine, couldn’t relate to it. She was always putting him in mortal danger, always dragging him into hell. It had never crossed her mind that he might have an issue doing the same thing. “Garrus…” She trailed off, unsure what to say.

“I know, it’s stupid, but… I can’t help but think-” he trailed off with a strangled growl and she sighed.

“Do you think I’m a failure?” She asked gently, looking down at him, knowing well how he felt about those words, failure wasn’t an option for a Turian, you couldn’t fail, you mustn’t. “I’m constantly putting you and the crew in mortal danger, I’m constantly putting my mate, the love of my life in danger. Do you think I’m a failure?” She asked gently, even if that gentleness was false.

“Do you think I should be hanged for putting my mate in mortal danger?” He growled against her neck, nipping harder than before, yet she continued, “I know what the Hierarchy says about putting your mate in danger, about putting them in situations they could be killed, do you think I’ll be out in front of the termination squad? The Hastatim?”

“Fuck’s sake, Sophia, don’t you ever joke about that!” He snapped, suddenly looming over her, pinning her shoulders to the bed with blunted claws and glaring at her, yet she could still feel the faint keen rumbling in his throat. “I signed up for this, I knew the consequences of following you, each of us could’ve been killed a thousand times over!”

“Yes, as did I,” she pointed out, easily freeing herself from his grip while remaining under him. He let her do it, she knew that, they both knew that Garrus could easily overcome her strength if he so desired. “We both know what’s at stake here, putting each other in danger, pulling each other from danger, even, it’s happened a dozen times over, my love. Don’t let that barefaced scum get the better of you,” she whispered, pulling his face down and nipping at his mandibles. “I love you, I swore loyalty to you and only you and you know that’s not a promise I made lightly.” She covered his mouth to keep him from talking, she needed him to understand this, understand them, “I’d put myself in the line of fire for you as many times as needed to keep you safe,” she leaned up, kissing his brown plates, “just as I know you’d do the same for me, just as you’ve done for me tenfold. You could never put me in danger that I didn’t previously agree to.” She smiled, trying to ask forgiveness for putting those awful images in his brain.

“Sophia,” he keened softly, resting his forehead against hers, feeling his eyes glaze over.

“I knew full well what it meant when I bonded myself to you, it’s not the Holy crap about sickness, poverty and shit,” she whispered, lovingly caressing his face, “I mean, it is, but it’s more than that, it’s covering you when you’re leading the team, it’s laying my life down for you and expecting the same in return, it’s hoping against all hope that we pull through together against this fucking harvest, this senseless slaughter! Because if you’re not there I’m not sure I could go on, if you’re not there I’d sell this fucking Galaxy to the Reapers myself!”

They stayed like that, staring at each other for a full minute before Garrus closed his eyes, leaning into his mate, his wife, maybe not his better half, but the part of him he treasured the most. “I love you,” he whispered against her, seeking physical contact, seeking physical reassurance from her. “I’m-I’m not very good at this, I know I don't say this often, but-”

“How much I adore you my love,” she whispered in return, kissing him gently and holding him as much as she could, “you mean the world to me.” She smiled again, filling the silence with the sounds of their kisses.

“Light of my life,” he whispered in return, laying down and pulling her against his chest, “don’t ever say that again, if anyone got to you-” he trailed off, hugging her tighter.

“You’d do the same as I would, no regrets.”

“None.”


	5. Before the Beginning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We branch a bit here, here's my other Shepard, Carol. I'm not sure I'll follow the fic with her, and this somehow turned into a song fic????

It was late night Citadel Time, not that anyone would actually know that since all lights were artificial. Carol sighed as she sat in the Tayseri Ward, looking curiously at the Dillinaga Concert Hall in front of her.

Part of her, a huge part of her, wanted to present there, wanted to just take out her guitar and play. Another one just scoffed at the idea, she was a soldier first, she was a on duty, first and foremost. Not to mention she usually shied from big places and bright lights.

It didn’t hurt to dream though.

She smiled to herself, unstrapping the guitar from her back and, after a few moments of testing the new strings and settling it just as she liked it, she started a random tune. Just humming, really.

Given the nature of the ward, and the street performers she saw in the way, Carol figured she wouldn’t attract trouble, not if she was just serenading herself.

“Didn’t know what time it was and the lights were low, I leaned back on my radio. Some cat was layin’ down some rock ‘n’ roll 'lotta soul, he said. Then the loud sound did seem to fade. Came back like a slow voice on a wave of phase. That weren’t no D.J. that was hazy cosmic jive,” she hummed to herself, amused. It really was one of her favourite songs.

“There’s a starman waiting in the sky  
He’d like to come and meet us  
But he thinks he’d blow our minds  
There’s a starman waiting in the sky  
He’s told us not to blow it  
Cause he knows it’s all worthwhile  
He told me:  
Let the children lose it  
Let the children use it  
Let all the children boogie”

Someone cleared their throat behind her, making Carol start and miss a note, she turned around to find a red-plated Turian with white clan marks and startling green eyes.

“That’s not how the Relay 314 went,” he said with amusement.

“Officer?” She asked, confused.

“The song?”

“Oh, hm no, that’s… That’s from way before anyone involved in the First Contact War was even alive.” She smiled again, looking at the Turian, “can I help you?”

“I was sent to inform you, you can’t actually play during nighttime,” he hummed, sitting besides the human, “but there’s a place here in the wards, a little known Club which may just be the right place for you. Have you ever heard of The Blues Brothers?” As she shook her head he continued with the explanation, picking up her bag, “little known club, amazing view of the Galaxy, has an nice karaoke night.”

“And how would you know that, Officer?”

“Been on a few dates there, Asari dig it, you can call me Nihlus, Nihlus Kryik, you are?”

“Carol, Carol Shepard, I can find the way myself, you don’t have to follow me.”

“Just watching out for your six, Shepard, I think we’re gonna be very good friends.”


	6. Differings Points of View

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is the only chapter you'll see Shep/Nihlus, it's a different POV from the last 1shot!

“A Human, what the hell are you thinking Kryik?” The grey plated, barefaced Turian demanded of his friend, leaning to look into Nihlus’ green eyes.

“She’s got a nice voice on her, knows how to shoot a gun like nobody’s business, commanded forces to stop the Batarians during the Skyllian Blitz, and that she’s great in bed,” the red plated Spectre said, leaning back with smug satisfaction as he stared the other down, “why? What were you thinking?”

“That the damned Pyjak has you by the knot and manipulated you into being accepted as the first Human Spectre,” Saren growled, downing the rest of the hard liquor, glaring all the harder as Nihlus laughed.

“How could she? She doesn’t even know in a Spectre, and I’m glad keeping it that way for the time being.” Nihlus hummed to himself, keeping a tight control on his subvocals, least they betray his distress, he hated lying to Carol, had started hating it when he figured out he actually did love her, and that things between them went much deeper than stress relief while she was on shore leave.

Saren laughed, the sound grating and without humour, Nihlus knew he hated humans, if for no other reason than the whole Jack Harper fiasco with his brother, but honestly.

“You’re a fool, Nihlus, and sooner or later it’s going to cost you something dear,” Saren said, downing the rest of his Kava and getting out of the little coffee place. For someone who hated humans, Saren Arterius had a passion about human beverages.

“I hope you’re wrong, Saren, I really do.” Maybe it was time to come clean with Carol? Before they had to head out in their joint mission as Spectre and Trainee, not as lovers.


	7. Proposing by e-mail

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and back to Sophia! :) the whole letter thing, word-for-word, came from the amazing http://ruskidoll.tumblr.com/ and it's the whole reason the main fic exists, so head over there and give her all your love!

“EDI,” Shepard started, her heart thumping in his chest, hysterics building inside her chest, “did you- did you just send my message to Garrus’ father?”

“Yes, Shepard, was I not supposed to?”

“Oh shit.” She laughed, if there was a note of hysterical laughter no one would ever know.

APIEN CREST - TREBIA - PALAVEN

Tidus Vakarian sighed as his omni-tool beeped with a new message, he rubbed his eyes, taking his eyes off his ailing wife. Cassia was getting worse by the day and there was nothing he could do, no viable treatment, even with the Salarian’s offer to take her into their facility for study and treatment.

He sighed at the unknown address, if it was another spam with another useless offer of treatment-!

He blinked as he opened the message.

_From: Commander S. Shepard, Normandy SR-2_

_Dear Mr Vakarian Senior,  (sorry Garrus never mentioned your actual name for some unknown reason)._

_I hope this message finds you well,_

_My name is Commander Shepard, Hero of the Citadel and first Human Spectre. I am writing to you with regards to your son, Garrus Vakarian who is currently under my command._

_I have a lucrative proposition for you. I would like to demand that you marry your son off to me, as I am afraid he is currently too busy calibrating the shit out of my ship to notice my rather obvious advances. He seems to be entirely oblivious to my desire to ride the G-Train, and believe me sir, I have NOT been s_ _ubtle. I have tried everything, slinky dresses, re-enacting Basic Instinct, following his every whim, up to and including day light murder and severe structural damage to the Citadel, but to no avail._

_I am afraid that you are now my only hope. I understand your reservation, Garrus has communicated to me your distrust of Spectres, however I would like to point out that I have thus far cooperated with the Citadel Council dumb-ass decisions, and complained about it just a little bit, only 3 people got injured!_

_But what do you get out of this? That is an excellent question sir. First of all, I would make an excellent daughter in law. You would never see me as I will be too busy kicking ass and taking names, so no awkward family dinners. Furthermore, as far as I understand, if me and Garrus do end up mashing genitals, no offspring is biologically possible, so no sticky hand prints, annoying screaming and bodily fluids on the carpet. And finally, I have been known to set off nuclear grade explosions for the people in my care, so your obsessive, irritating asshat of a son, will be safe, and also probably far far away from you. So it is a win win situation for everyone!_

_I thank you for your time and consideration, I look forward to hearing from you soon! Please get back to me soon, I already picked out the Wedding Armour._

_Many thanks, Kind regards,  
Commander Shepard._

Tidus barked a laughter, his sub-vocals thrumming with amusement, that was a weight off his shoulders at least, knowing his boy was alive and well and as obtuse as ever when it came to the fairer gender, if he was honest with himself, he’d say it was something Garrus may have inherited from him, but he avoided the annoying truths these days.

“Tidus?” Came a voice to his right, as he looked up, he hummed at his wife, her eyes clear with recognition, “what’s going on?”

He thrilled with humour, sitting on the bed besides her as he showed Cassia the message, “your son’s an idiot.”

Cassia hummed as she glanced at the message “he gets it from you.”

“Shush you, I was never that bad.” He laughed, sub-vocals thrumming with relief and love.

“No, you were worse.” Cassia stated with an twitch of her mandible, “what is this Basic Instinct the Commander’s talking about?”

“I’ve no idea, light of my life.” He smiled, opening the Extranet for research.

SOMEWHERE IN THE ISMAR FRONTIER - NORMANDY SR2 - HANGAR

Shepard laughed as she laid on her back, Jack looming with biotics over her, “cheater! I said ‘no biotics’.”

“All’s fair in love an war, isn’t that what you told me?” Jack sat back, dismissing the dark energy keeping Shepard still, not even a bead of sweat on her body as she kept the struggling woman still.

“Unless we specify terms, but yeah.” She smiled at herself, sparing with Jack always got her spirits up, sure she’d rather spare with Garrus, among other things, but since he was still busy ignoring her and calibrating the giant guns instead of something else…

Her Omni-tool beeped at the same time as EDI’s voice drifted through the cargo bay, announcing she had a new message at her private terminal. She stretched, bending forward with her arms high up her back until she had an up close look at her thighs, the bones on her back popping with the extortion.

“Who is it?” She asked as Jack scoffed then rolled her eyes, Shepard just smirked at the inked woman, he had offered to teach Jack how to stretch, but the other woman had refused. Ah well.

“I do not have access to your correspondence, Shepard.” The AI responded, to which all Sophia could do was roll her eyes, yes EDI didn’t have access to emails, and Sophia was the daughter of clowns.

“Stop lying EDI, before I deactivate your programming and reduce you to a VI again.” She said, snorting. She strengthened, opening the Omni-tool and grinning.

_From: Tidus Vakarian_

_Commander, I am Tidus Vakarian, Garrus’s father, and I hope this finds you well._

_Maybe I should start by thanking you for your email, as unintentional as it was probably sent. Not only have you confirmed that my son is, indeed, alive, but you’ve managed what Solana and I have been trying for the past year. It has been the first time in over 6 months, Palaven-time, that I’ve seen my wife laugh and recognise my other child, Commander, and for that I thank you._

_I have no idea how you wrapped Garrrus around to follow you, but rest assured that you’ve got him wrapped around your human fingers and bound to your very will. It is not my place to grant you your wish, only Garrus can do that, but - as my wife so fondly reminds me - Garrus is as bad as a Turian as I used to be. If you need my permission you have it, Spirits know Garrus doesn’t come home anyway, so your offer would at least keep him safe (nuclear explosions? Really?)_

_Also, Cassia tells me that I’m still am a bad Turian, and I’ve no idea what she’s talking about._

_If you manage to get Garrus to visit before your mission’s over, I’ll even officiate it myself._

_Cassia would also like to let you know that your ‘Basic Instinct’ would never work on a Turian, since we are ‘wired’ to notice long necks and supportive waists, of which you’ve got plenty to interest my son, if you excuse the forwardness._

_Fondly yours,  
Tidus Vakarian._


	8. I believe I (can't) fly

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> another one with Carol :) or that one time a squadmate almost got Shepard killed for the second time.

Have you heard of Hagalaz? It’s a Death World, home to the Shadow Broker, if you hadn’t heard of it before now be glad, we had to go there because Liara needed her pet Drell. (God that’s an awful thing to say isn’t it? Don’t tell her I said that.)

So, we were in the Shadow Broker’s ship, you know that planet is nasty, you hear about Death Worlds, but you can’t imagine what a Death World is until you step into one. I mean my whole body was a temperature mess, I was burning on one side and freezing on the other. At least Hagalaz has breathable oxygen! I kinda felt bad for Garrus, I’ve been dragging him around for the past five missions, but if there was one person I trusted on high-risk missions it was him.

Besides if we had to take on the Shadow Broker, I could’ve done worse than Liara and Garrus. (I could have taken Grunt, but a charging Krogan on the hull of a spaceship on a Death World just screams Bad Idea, if you know what I mean)

It was working fine just the three of us, Liara’s Singularity plus my own Shockwave along with Garrus’ and mine snipping abilities (headcount was 10-4 in his favour, I was still learning how to handle a sniper!) meant that it was an easy undertake for us.

By the way have you seen people flying off the ship because of a Shockwave? It’s fun - if they’re Mercs - but panic inducing if you’re the one on the wrong side of the Shockwave, but I’ll get to that in a bit.

So, we were moving with an efficiency that I had rarely experienced with the Cerberus crew, it was nice to work with one of my team again. It was working fine, until we came to the back entrance.

Liara had to Hack it, even though Garrus was perfectly able to do it (have I mentioned he’s one hell of a soldier? Because he is, just don’t tell him I said that, his ego when it comes to his fighting skills is big enough as it is.) Liara’s not a hacker, Liara’s good with information, she’s good at digging secrets or Prothean ruins, take your pick, but not Hacking.

We had to wait while the Hacking device did what it was meant to do, and while that happened, all the Shadow Broker’s tugs came in for us. I don’t blame them, we were just standing there, I couldn’t have picked easier targets during Basic.

Between Turrets and Mercs I ended up sending my Turian to higher ground, while Liara and I took care of the others. Sometime between the Salarian Engineer and the Asari Vaguard I had to switch to my shotgun, and boy was that a mistake.

Things is, with a Shotgun in hand, my mind switches immediately to CQC tactics, because there are few things more satisfying than blowing someone’s face when you’re actually in their face. Disaster happened all at once:

Garrus lined up a Concusive shot at an unprotected Merc coming up behind Liara, at the same time as I spotted the same person.

He shot.

The person _flew_  from the ship into open air.

At the same time as I Charged him.

The thing about Charge is that you can’t change trajectories mid-flight. He went flying into Open Air then I went flying into Open Air.

The only thing that saved me was Liara’s singularity. I took a bad landing and dislocated my shoulder.

See, Garrus and I? We work really well together, but when we fuck up, we fuck up _beautifully_  (or deadly, depends on your point of view), I had to fight my way through the rest of the mission with a dislocated shoulder, which Garrus set as soon as we stepped on the ship, but still: Not fun, not fun at all.

And that’s how I almost got spaced AGAIN, due to a crewmember, AGAIN.


	9. Space Pirates and 22-catches

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> part of my main storyline, if I ever do decide it's going into the main story I'll leave a note here.

“You know,” Sophia started, walking into her loft, her occupied loft, “Jack mentioned something the other day about Space Pirates.”

“Somehow I’m not in the least bit surprised that’s your response after dealing with the Hierarchy,” Garrus said, sitting on her couch, perusing a datapad. They had been dealing with Harper’s ragtag group for a little over six months, and as competent as they were as individuals, they were far, far away from the cohesive unit Sophia had grown used to from the SR1; needless to say the sudden demands of the Turian Hierarchy where making her short temper close to non-existent and the thought of throwing everyone out of the airlock was starting to seem like a good idea.

“I can appreciate why you ran to Omega, let me say. Just think about it, you’d be my right hand, we’d space everyone that pissed us off and sail looking for adventure across the galaxy!” She sighed as she removed her armor, storing the ceramic plated thing away before flopping on the bed, looking up at the stars.

“How would you get money to maintain the ship then? Would you steal from the colonies? Accept contracts from others?” He held back a sigh, glancing up from the datapad, he was beyond used to Sophia’s bouts of frustration, though usually she dealt with it by sparring either with him or another crew member, usually Thane, Jack or Samara.

“Why not? If it gets me free from Harper’s dogs… Though I suppose we’d have to disable EDI then, right? Can’t have a Cerberus’ AI can’t roam free on a pirate ship.”

“Are we going full pirate then?” He said, putting the datapad away and moving to sit by her on the bed, suddenly unsure of how to behave around her, they had been friends for a while, had even shared a night together and now… He was still trying to wrap his head about saying ‘yes’ to her and the Councilor’s crazy proposal.

“Hell yeah, I’m throwing all the pups our of the airlock, disabling EDI and putting an add out ‘Spectre for hire! Gets fast results and is not afraid of getting her hands dirty’” She smiled as she picture an add on the Terminus system, tired, eyes distant as she gazed beyond him.

“I assume I’m going to be your first mate then? Help you choose the next mission, save your hide when you get in trouble?” He grinned down at her, knowing she was far away and not really seeing him.

“Only as much as I’d save yours, I’d set you up as a Turian in Distress, only for me to swoop in and take out the bad guys, I’d untie you in the middle of the fight, only for you to join me, it’d be awesome!” She sighed, closing her eyes and for a moment he really wanted to do something stupid.

“Turian in distress huh? And who would ever fall for that?” He breathed out a laugh, hand closing in in a tight fist, talons almost piercing the skin, he really wanted to do something stupid.

“The Vorcha, maybe, or maybe I’m giving then too little credit.” She hummed as she suddenly focused on him, he could see her muscles going tense for a moment before she sat up, bringing both of them much closer than they’d been since That Night.

“I don’t think you are, maybe they would fall for the Distressed Turian act.” He rumbled, catching a stray lock of blond hair on his talon, putting it behind her ear.

She bit her lip while looking at him, a nervous act he had seen only a handful of times as the mood between then changed swiftly; a change from the mostly relaxed to a more personal kind of tension, one that put him on high alert.

“Are you going to leave?” She blurted out, continuing before he could open his mouth to answer, even if he didn’t know what he was going to say. He knew very well she wasn’t talking about leaving her cabin. “I know you agreed to this whole arranged marriage idea, but we’ve been different with each other since then and I don’t know how to deal with it. I’m just waiting for the other shoe to drop and for you to come to your senses and end this whole thing.”

“I- I… What do shoes have to do with it?” He asked, rubbing the back if his head. Usually she would call him on his stalling bullshit.

“Human saying, I’m waiting for you to come to your senses, I’m waiting for the catch 22, for you to drop this whole thing like a ball if pyjack shit.” She said, hands closed in tight fists. “I mean, I got the memo you don’t particularly find me attractive, I’m not Turian, I’m not Quarian, I’d get it if you want to stop everything before it got serious. I wouldn’t be able to look at you in the eye for a few days, but I’d get it,” she rambled, an angry red flush coming up her neck. She would be devastated if he decided to not go along with it, in all honesty, but it wouldn’t be the first time she’d have to swallow her hurt, nod, and find another way.

“I don’t- where the hell did you get those ideas?” He leaned back to better look at her, holding back a flinch as he saw the flash of hurt pass through her face before it was buried away, how many times had that same expression crossed her face without him noticing? How many times had she buried those feelings without him being none the wiser?

How many times had he been responsible for that?

“Garrus,” she sighed, focusing somewhere beyond him, and he felt shame crawling up his spine at that, what had he done that she wasn’t able to look at him?

“Garrus,” she started again, focusing somewhere beyond his shoulder, “ever since you’ve agreed to do this you’ve been blowing me off whenever I head down to talk to you, or put upon when you come up, what am I supposed to think?” She snorted, looking down, “I appreciate your offer to help, but if it’s gonna change our friendship you can walk away. I’m asking for a lot and I won’t hold it against you.” She said, crossing one leg over the other, he recognized it as a different sort of antsy behavior, the sort of thing where she wanted some sort of protection against incoming blows of the emotional kind, she had once explained to him it was her version of hugging her knees in an attempt to hide, but the military had beaten that habit out if her a long time ago.

He had only seen her do that once, when they had visited Michael at the hospital.

“You’ve been dead for two years, Shepard,” he growled, feeling an undercurrent keen if grief in his subvocals, he knew she could hear it too by her frown in his general direction. “Half the time you’re talking to me I think I’m still talking to an hallucination on Omega, Spirits I keep having to remind myself you’re real, that you’re here…”

He shook his head, looking for the right words, he never had any when it mattered, she was the one who could talk herself out of any trouble. “You’re not my charity case,” she was so far beyond it and she had no idea, “I’m not doing you a favor by agreeing to marry you, if anything I’m being selfish. I’m keeping you to myself when you can have whoever you want on this bloody ship. There are better options out there Shepard, better than a failed cop turned vigilante.”

“Then why? Ever since the night we spend together you haven’t said anything…” She trailed off, briefly looking at him before looking away again, he knew he was a selfish bastard by wanting her attention on him again, but it was the only times in between gunfire fights that he felt alive.

Maybe the question should be what hadn’t he done? All those times he told himself he needed to think, needed to be alone to figure things out; it had been more than a disservice to her and she deserved better. She deserved a whole lot better than the likes of him.

“Because I thought you meant that only as blowing off steam, as an Adrenaline response, we have those too after a fight…” He trailed off while looking at her, he felt like a starving man faced with a banquet laid out before him with someone telling him to wait. “Spirits woman, the way you feel, the way you responded to me…” He was spoiled for all others, or maybe that was his heart talking, what was left of it anyway, either way he felt like a selfish bastard for keeping her away from better options. “I could never not be attracted to you, Astra.”

“I thought you wanted to blow off steam too,” she muttered, “I thought you regretted it,” she said, “that’s why I didn’t say anything.”

“I could never regret anything we ever did, sweetheart.” He gripped her hands with one of his, squeezing it gently, he hoped he never got used to the sheer size difference between them. “I’m not sure how to make you understand but I’d do everything I can for you, not just because you’re my best friend, but because I want to learn all the sides you have, if you’re willing to show them to me.” He released her hands, sitting back. “I’d repeat what we did everyday if you’d let me.”

He could make it up to her, he would, if, after everything, she would still let him. He had been a shitty friend for the past months, he refused to allow himself to be the same sort of husband.

They stared at each other for a heartbeat and he couldn’t help but notice the way her eyes followed him, before trailing off again, he could read her almost as well as she could read him, he could see uncertainty in her gaze slowly giving away to a sort of helpless hope that he never wanted to see from her. She deserved all of him, not just the scraps he had been giving her the past few months. He swore to himself he would do better.

“Careful now handsome,” she sighed, a shaky quality to it, and he couldn’t help but notice her hands curling into fists, knuckles white. “A girl could easily fall in love with that, you know,” she smiled before looking down at her hands, shaken, out of her element.

“Maybe I’ll continue then?” He lifted her chin with a knuckle, “I wouldn’t mind this girl falling in love with me.” He murmured in her ear, “I wouldn’t mind having this girl all to myself. For as long as she’ll have me.”

“I just don’t want you to regret this,” Sophia bit her lip again, refusing to look at him, “I don’t want you to realize halfway through that you’d rather be with someone else.”

He swallowed, knowing at once what she meant, it was the same fear, the same hesitation that sometimes flowed through his veins, that she would find someone worthy of her, part of the reason he had blown her off so many times. “Same to you, what if halfway through you found out you loved Jacob? Or Joker?” He grinned at her, pulling her to his lap, drawing a gasp from her lips. He did so love surprising her. Why hadn’t he done this before now?

“What if you ditch me for Miranda? Or Liara?” She quipped back, grabbing his head with her hands, pulling him near.

“Liara would rather be with you over me.” He snorted, gripping her waist as she raised up on her knees, pulling him down where their lips where almost touching, but not quite.

“I’m not into her particular shade of blue.” She muttered, holding herself still. “And what if we made a deal? I remind you you’re not hallucinating and you remind me why I need to live?” She sighed, shaky, helpless, and he finally recognised what she had been doing, mainly giving him time to figure out what he wanted.

He drew her nearer still, bumping his forehead with hers in the sort of intimacy he was used to before flicking his tongue out to taste her, in the sort of intimacy she was used to. “Deal, I’m sorry I made you wait,” he whispered against her lips, feeling her literally sag against him.

“You’re here now but I’m not sure I’ll let you leave if you change your mind though.” She snorted peppering his lips with kisses, and he couldn’t, for the life of him, remember why he ever had any reservation about being with her.

“Good, I’m not letting you back out either, you’re stuck with me now,” he smiled, kissing her again, tongue wrapping around hers and sucking lightly on it, the taste of her something he hoped he never got used to either.

It was a new idea, Them, together. Us, We, Ours. He tried them on his mind as he pulled away from her. His hands framing her face, “mine,” he whispered, drawing a shaky laugh out of her.

“Yes.”


	10. Astrias

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> posted with permission <3 just... just do yourself a favour and go shout at the commander about how awesome she is: http://commander-hot-pants.tumblr.com/

  

(Image courtesy of the lovely and amazing commander-hot-pants over at tumblr, go and be in awe of her renders and her writings (or just leaver her a shout [here](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Oneofthezombies/pseuds/Oneofthezombies), her writing's equally amazing!))

_It had been almost four months since he’d given the Normandy to Shepard and nearly ten months since he’d dropped Garrus off on Palavan. It seemed like the best decision, Shepard needed to be connected and the Normandy allowed her to do that, Nihlus was a better asset on his own pursuing leads as a Spectre, and Garrus could get the most done with his connections on Palavan._

_It was the right decision but it killed Nihlus to be apart from them._

_~Original from[commander-hot-pants](http://commander-hot-pants.tumblr.com/post/152278844407/it-had-been-almost-four-months-since-hed-given)_

 -:=:-

She touched the screen of the computer with uncertain fingers, afraid the image of him would disappear, she could feel Garrus behind and to her left, could hear the frustrated growl stuck in his chest, too low for Nihlus to pick up on, hopefully. She felt the same way, she wanted him near, wanted him where the three of them could be together, could pick each other up when needed.

“I miss you,” The words rushed out before she could even contemplate stopping them.

“I do too sweetheart, I miss both of you so much, Spirits.” She heard his voice distorted by distance and electronics, she hated this war, hated being away from him, hated that she was Human and she couldn’t understand half of what passed between him and Garrus, despite their best efforts.

“When are you coming home?” Her love asked, demanded really, she knew he would be missing their third as much as she was.

Home, sometime in the 2 years since they had met the Normandy had become home to the three of them, a resting place to recharge, a quiet corner to rest, a bed to bring her lovers to.

“As soon as I can _amour_ , I promise, we need this base and Cerberus has it, so-”

“Hurry up and finish this _Amatus_ , we’re waiting,” she said cutting him off, seeing him smile at her blunt ways instead of the sharp click of his mandibles when she interrupted him.

It had been far too long.

“Things are bad out there _amour_ ,” Garrus said beside her, gripping her waist as is trying to keep himself from reaching out for their third. “Come home, we need you here.”

“Garrus,” she saw him reaching out to them, to him, and she could do nothing but snuggle closer to him, when they missed Nihlus they sought comfort in each other, but the Shepard/Garrus relationship was different than the Garrus/Nihlus relationship, or even the Garrus/Shepard/Nihlus Triad.

She new her _Amatus_ missed their _Amour_ in a whole different way than she did, it was the comfort of someone who understood his nuances fully while she was still learning them both.

“Spirits I miss you both so much.” Nihlus whispered again as their comm came to life, they were approaching the relay and heading to Rannoch. “I’ll join you two as soon as I can, I promise.”

“Connection’s about to be cut,” Garrus said with a growl underlining his words, she could relate, “come back to us _Amatus_ , in one piece.”

“You too, both of you,” Nihlus smiled, a fluttering of his mandibles, a light in his eyes that spoke of relief.

“Promise,” she grinned, “I’ll even teach G how to duck,” she smiled, to Garrus’ affronted look. She kissed the Turian’s mandible, knowing it would take their minds off the possibilities of what might happen to Nihlus while they were separated and give her _Amour_ another reason to get his bony ass back on the ship.

“Spirits,” she heard both of them mutter, just before the connection cut.

“I miss him,” she whispered, turning to hug her love, “I miss him so much.”

“I do too _Amada_ , but we’ll see him soon.” Garrus assured her, bumping their foreheads together gently.

On the far end of the Galaxy the red-plated Spectre stared at the picture of his two most important people, talons caressing Shepard’s gentle face and Vakarian’s scars.

Soon, he would return to them soon.


	11. The Normandy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anderson's POV

The ship was sleek in a way he wasn’t used to, with the crew quarters reduced to basically a hole in the wall near the medbay and co-ed showers.

Turian design the engineers had said, and Anderson could see the logic, it didn’t mean he liked it. He was only thankful he had picked up the right crew, none of them would give him trouble with the mixed facilities.

However he did like the CIC layout, he could oversee everything and everyone, specially his ground team.

He walked from the cockpit to the head of the galactic map, touching the polished metal, inspecting the escape pods - hopefully they wouldn’t be necessary any time soon - the machinery, the board computers.

She was beautiful.

“Is she everything you expected, sir?” One of the engineers called, exiting the meeting room.

“Yes, and more.”

“Our people can create amazing things if we work together,” the engineer agreed, a hint of pride in his voice.

“That we can Tactus, we’re better off as friends instead of enemies.” He relaxed next to the Turian, first order of business would be to oversee the move of a Prothean beacon found on Eden Prime along with transporting Kryik, the Spectre sent by the council.

“Nihlus Kryik, can you tell me anything about him?”

“Was born in the Terminus, hothead, doesn’t really follow anyone’s lead, he gets the job done though.”

“Sounds like someone I know.”


	12. Only Human

The room was quiet, only the almost silent beep of the machines provided any real sound. The scorched walls were the only testament of the destruction the building, and the rest of the world, had been subjected to.

The still form on the bed was sustained by machines, the visitors few and far in between; the Normandy hadn’t been seen since the Reapers had been deactivated and all the surviving admirals, generals and crew were busy with helping the planet survive.

Shepard, however, was never alone.

The blackness of the walls and the generally gloomy feel of the room were the perfect cover for a few individuals to sneak by the hospital security.

One of the shadows moved as the door opened, admitting a nurse.

The cloaking technology hid the N7 Operative from view as she approached the nurse from behind, glancing at the myriad of vials to be administrated to the commander.

She scanned the table for anything that could be used to kill Shepard for good, finding nothing but another dose for muscle atrophy and the IV that had her food.

She stood to the left of the nurse as they changed tubes and prickled te Commander again, nodding to herself at the common procedure.

They had all been pretty damn careful after someone had tried their hand at assassinating Shepard. Even while the commander was comatose they never left her alone.

It had started with the N7 operatives, standing their ground and protecting one of their own, then the Turians joined when they got the news of the Humans protecting the commander - apparently they wouldn’t let Vakarian’s mate and saviour of the galaxy be harmed either - then the Asari and Salarians as they started to trade roosters.

It had been pretty much unanimous, Shepard would be protected at all costs, even if she was just human.


	13. Apodyopis

**Apodyopis** \- The act of mentally undressing someone.

Her breath hitched as she saw him walking through the door, face torn, bandage covering part of his auditory channel, and a great part of his right mandible.

The situation, by all intents and purposes, was dire; the recent surgery he went through, her current standing with Cerberus, the fact two years had passed and she had no idea what had happened during that time, but all she could do was smile at the sight of him, walking, _alive_ , and smiling at her too.

She couldn’t help but let her eyes linger on him, taking note of the torn armour - they would have to replace it, she wouldn’t let him get killed due to poor armour - and how he took note of everything and everyone in the room, escape routes if he needed them, defendable positions or, alternatively, places to corner someone.

A small part of her couldn’t help but think _yes_  and _please_  at the thought of him cornering her, a twinge of heat between her legs was all she needed for the thought to cement itself in her brain.

 _‘No, Garrus is my friend, he wouldn’t be interested in me, not like that,’_  she thought, mentally chiding herself, even as she smiled as he barked a laugh at her teasing.

She could see a hint of his damaged neck and her fingers twitched in interest, in curiosity, the desire to touch the burnt lines and torn hide almost slipping through her iron-clad control, to make sure he was fine.

No, that wasn’t it, well part of it was, certainly, but a greater part just wanted to explore him again; she clearly remembered the times they had spent together in the SR1, talking, sharing a cup of instant coffee over the Galaxy map on the CIC.

Had it really been two years? Because she clearly remembered the last time they had been on the ship, a week before the attack, where she had been so excited to show him the new Spectre gear she had walked in on him removing his armour and underarmour after working on the Mako; she had blushed crimson - much to Ash’s amusement - but he had brushed it off, cleaned his hands and followed her to the airlock where a weapon shipment was waiting for them.

She could recall how he moved, his muscles and thulium-embedded plates moving underneath the underarmour, how it stretched and showed off more than he needed to show.

She had been itching to touch him then, to strip him bare, to touch all the places she could before-

“Shepard?” She blinked, embarrassed at being called out while she was staring at him and feeling her face aflame.

She made curious _hm?_  while trying to pretend she wasn’t really watching him and imagining what was under his underarmour, pretending like she wasn’t itching to touch him.

“I’ll be in the forward batteries if you need me,” he smirked at her, eyeing her from top to bottom before turning away from her and walking out of the conference room.

When had he become such a tease? She sighed, remembering that it had, in fact, been two years for him. He probably wasn’t even interested in her like that.

When he omni-tool beeped she answered without looking at the sender’s address, only to almost choke on her own saliva.

> _From: Vakarian, Garrus;_
> 
> _To: Shepard, Anzu;_
> 
> _I know what that blush means now, if you’re willing to catch up, among other things, you know where to find me._
> 
> _-G_

_‘Well now!’_ She thought as she smiled, holding back a giggle - Commander Shepard didn’t giggle! Especially while on a Cerberus Frigate! - but unable to hide the faint blush from his teasing, when had he become such a tease?

It seemed like she would get her chance to explore sooner rather than later, and she couldn’t wait for the chance of devouring him whole.


	14. Brontide

**Brontide**  - The low rumbling of distant thunder.

She woke with a start as the thunder rolled around them, sitting up on the bed and taking a moment to situate herself. 

She was on Palaven with Garrus; they had stopped by to see to his mother and to try and prepare the Hierarchy for the war to come. It was night and, by the sound of it, it was raining. Her husband with his back to her as he continued to sleep and lightly snore

She rubbed her eyes as their room was lit up lightning, Garrus having forgotten to close the blinds of their room. Well, ‘forgotten’ was perhaps more accurate. He knew she loved to see Palaven’s night sky, now sadly covered by clouds. 

Lighting crossed the sky above them, the rumble of thunder following along with the pit-patter of rain against the glass door. She glanced at the clock, 3:15am, they had at least five hours before the sun rose and she could already tell that sleep would elude her for the rest of the night. 

All things considered she could wake up Garrus, but with the way things were going with Decima it left her reluctant to so; she glanced at his turned back seeing his back muscles relaxed for the first time that week.

 _‘No, better let him sleep,’_ she thought with a fondness she never thought herself capable of. She gently ran her fingers over his fringe, blunt fingernails scratching smooth plating before she got out of bed, quickly throwing in a shirt before she made her way to the kitchen in the dark.

“You’re wearing my son’s shirt, Shep-” the tall, thin form of her father-in-law greeted her as she crossed the kitchen’s threshold, his subvocals thrilling in an apology, “Sophia, right.”

She just hummed an acknowledgement or his apology instead of addressing it verbally. She moved around the room, seeing the boiled water - still hot - and the dried blue leaves he liked to drink before standing on her tip toes to open her tea jar. “First thing I found to wear, mine must be somewhere in the room.”

“I believe you,” he rumbled, the sound an almost laugh. “Join me?”

“Don’t mind if I do.” Both of them kept their voices low, as she prepared her own concoction; a mix of mint, apples and vanilla along with the berries things from Cipritine she never could remember the name of.

In the distance lightning cracked again, followed by thunder, the sound diminished by the distance.

“That what woke you up?” She asked, sitting on the stool beside him.

“I was already up…” he sighed, seemingly to wither before her eyes. She felt the uncanny need to apologise for Decima’s condition but she knew from previous experience he would only take offence to it. Decima’s condition wasn’t her fault, wasn’t any of their faults, if anyone should apologise it was the Spirits forsaken fates.

“How is she?” Sophia asked, leaning against the wall, besides the glass door leading to the back garden. The pit-patter of rain and the late night hour making everything seem muted and secret.

“Sleeping,” he sighed again, leaning against the counter. “I hate this fucking disease, sometimes I wonder if it wouldn’t be kinder to just kill her.”

“Kinder on you, or on her?” the words slipped out before she could stop herself, the whole situation was pretty similar to Michael’s, only her late brother had been in a coma for at least five years while Decima Vakarian was slowly loosing her mind over an untreatable disease.

“Both, neither, I don’t know…” he looked at her and even in the dark he seemed to slump even further, “I know she’s going to die, but this is not the way I want to remember my wife, sick on a bed unable to care for herself or tell me to shut up, not my-” he stopped, and she understood.

“Your Astra,” she whispered, the words suddenly stuck on her throat. That’s what Garrus usually called her in their more tender moments.

“Yes, my Astra, the light of my life, the one-”

“-bright spot in a galaxy going to hell,” she whispered, suddenly feeling weak in the knees.

“Yes,” he looked at her curiously, considering, “my son has been calling you that, hasn’t he?”

She just nodded, staring at the lukewarm tea in her hands.

“Good, he deserves to have someone on his side,” the unsaid words hung between them, Kaius got up from his place, leaving his own mug in the sink for later and nodding at Sophia.

He stopped on the threshold, staring back at her one last time, “out of curiosity, when did he start?”

“Soon after I found him on Omega, why?”

His rumble-like laugh echoed through the darkened rooms before he addressed her, “Sophia… Turians choose their mates by instinct, someone that will have their backs always. Someone who will look out for them, they can take the form of a friend, a lover or even-”

“-a CO,” she finished, laughing to herself as she watched Kaius walk out, leaving her with a million more questions as she turned to watch the rain again.

The skies hadn’t cleared once since evening fell, no glimpse at the majestic auroras of Palaven, or the southern mountains visible from Garr- no, their home now.

The thought still gave her warm feelings in the pit of her stomach, now mixed in with the idea Garrus had chosen her well before anything had actually happened between them, had chosen her even when at first he had chosen to remain friends, it was mind boggling.

She startled when she felt a finger caress her back, before arms circled her waist and brought her back against a warm chest, a huff of breath against her neck.

“G?” she asked, laughing at the fairly clinging Turian.

“You weren’t there when I woke up, it was cold,” he grumbled, leaning against his chest she could feel his subharmonics, her clingy Turian was grumpy. She bit her lip to keep herself from laughing.

“It’s twenty-nine degrees today, how are you cold?”

He just grumbled something under his breath, too low for her to hear, and she couldn’t help but laugh at him, “the rain woke me up and I decided a cup of tea sounded good at this time of the night, why are you awake?” she put her mug down on the counter, hugging him back. It was unusual for Garrus to be clingy, when it happened it either lead to very good things or mildly bad ones.

“Nightmares, first time in a while.” He sighed against the top of her head. “Come back to bed.”

“All right, wanna talk about it?” she agreed easily, taking his hand from her waist and in hers.

“No, not right now…” he rumbled, a soft keening sound reaching her ears. “Just- just come back to bed?”

She kept herself from asking, they would talk about it in the morning light when his nightmares weren’t so fresh, wouldn’t feel alive to him, instead she followed his lead when he tracked back to their room.

“I’ve had the most fascinating talk with your dad tonight,” she smiled gently when he looked back at her. “We ended up talking about mates, when exactly did you decide I was yours? Before or after we got out of Omega?”

Her laughed trickled through the house as he stuttered a reply, the bedroom door closing behind them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 29C is around 84F for you heathens.


	15. Basorexia

**Basorexia** \- An overwhelming desire to kiss.

It had started with the whole ‘reach and flexibility’ talk and how she had accepted his advances without a second though. He had offered because… because it was her damn it. He didn’t have a Human fetish, never had it really, but he was interested in her, too damn invested to ask anything but her full attention on him.

And now she kept looking at him, stealing glances when she thought he wasn’t looking. He was always looking at her these days, noticing things he hadn’t seen at first when she was just his friend, his C.O. and not his potential lover.

The word still felt strange to think of; Shepard as his lover. It was a good sort of weird if such a thing existed.

It also was weird to think of her kissing him. He had been kissed the way Humans do it twice before, both time with Asari maidens, the first as an undercover cop, the second while on a recon mission on Omega, it had felt weird both times. Too soft lips on his stiff ones, a wet sly tongue running over his timidly, not the kind of excitement he was used to from his lovers and rather lacking if he was honest.

But thinking of kissing Shepard was, again, different. To start with he couldn’t help but imagine how her lips would feel against his, would they be pliant, thin, demanding? How would she react to kissing him, putting her tongue in his mouth - or his on hers, he wasn’t picky - letting him taste her, letting his tongue wrap around hers and-

“Garrus?”

He blinked a few times, trying to dispel his treacherous thoughts, even as his eyes fixed on her lips, his mouth parted slightly as he inhaled deeply, trying to keep her scent in his memory.

“Garrus are you listening?” she laughed, her cheeks growing pink as she seemed to notice where his gaze went, she wet her lower lip with her tongue, and he hoped to whatever deity was listening that Anzu couldn’t read subvocals, any self-respecting Turian would have hit him for the lewd sound.

“Kiss me,” he whispered to her, closing the space between them in three strides, trapping her - as much as one could effectively trap Shepard anyway - between him and the cupboards in the mess.

He saw her lips part, her face turning an even darker shade of red, “didn’t you want to wait? Something about disturbing the crew?”

“There’s no one here this time of the night, Anzu,” he whispered between them, leaning over her, all she needed to do-

“Alright, I’m game,” she smiled, roguish, teasing and quickly closed the space between them, her dry and soft lips against his stiff ones, it was nice but-

“Let me,” he whispered against her, gently nipping at her lower lip, getting a surprise sound from the back of her throat, her fingers clenching against him, and he took the opportunity to pry them open with his tongue, sliding in easily after her, both of them exhaling in lust and want.

She pushed him back a little and with a whine he let her go, looking at Anzu’s flushed face, “again?”

“No,” she shook her head, pushing him away from her and with a mournful sigh he let her go, not even aware he had hugged her so close. “I’m can’t think when you do that,” she smiled, flushing pink again.

“Good,” he whispered, backing away, “I still rather wait until we’re both ready bu-” he stopped as she quickly kissed his open lips, a hint of her tongue making an appearance.

“I get it," she smiled, he flushed face beautiful to him. "You’re also welcomed to kiss me whenever and wherever you want me, as long as it’s just the two of us.”

He grinned fiercely, mandible wide as the drank in her flushed face before stealing just another kiss.

**Author's Note:**

> Keep in mind this is the finished, polished version, if you want the unpolished ones you can find me at http://ravenpenandpaper.tumblr.com/


End file.
